Water glyphs

Water glyphs are a recurring type of petroglyph found across the American southwest, but primarily in southern Utah, northern Arizona, and Nevada.

In consideration of the orientations of the line and circle motifs within the pictographs, the authors of this research conclude that waterglyphs are directional markers pointing toward sources of water throughout the arid Arizona Strip.

Amateur archaeologists Robert Ford and Dixon Spendlove assert that the symbols were used by the ancient Pueblo peoples to mark springs or other important travel information in the desert.

They assert that a high percentage of these symbols indicates line-of-sight directions to finding a natural spring, water pocket or pool, or ancient village site.

Opposing theories include use of these petroglyphs as astronomical/solstice markers, sacrificial altars or writings left by early Spanish explorers.